Birthmarks: a Kiss From an Angel or a Mark of the Devil?

From a medical perspective, birthmarks are simply the result of excess skin pigment or increased blood vessels. However, there are beliefs related to the significance of birthmarks, both good and bad, in many cultures and religions around the world, passed from one generation to the next.

The superstitions vary widely. Birthmarks can be interpreted as relating to the person’s personality, as caused by strong emotions or particular food their mother had during pregnancy, or even as resulting from trauma in a previous life.